


Settling In

by GoodVun12



Series: Firsts [2]
Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Father/Daughter Feels, Fluff, Gen, Joel and Ellie moment, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-07 19:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20981291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodVun12/pseuds/GoodVun12
Summary: Joel and Ellie have returned to Jackson County to settle down and start lives there, when things get a little scary again.Just a short story about Joel and Ellie on the way to her first class. Cute moments and fluff ahead. Part of the Firsts series.





	Settling In

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this story and then had the idea to write a series of stories around first events in Joel and Ellie’s lives. Figured this would fit in and it works chronologically.
> 
> Please comment on what you liked and what you felt worked or not

Settling In

It had been almost a month since Joel and Ellie reached Tommy’s settlement in Jackson County for the second, and hopefully last, time. They shared a small living quarters with two bedrooms located just down the way from Tommy and Maria’s place. Tommy had even joked about how it was almost like they were kids back at home again.  
Joe had started patrol duty with Tommy the very day they got there, due to his particular skills. Although he was called on a lot to help with building duties because of his knowledge from his previous life as a carpenter. Ellie had taken a little longer to adjust. She had been through a lot and in her own words wasn’t “as equipped to handle the trauma as Joel was”. She had spent some time with the old dog Buckley and helped Maria look after the horses just to get some semblance of normality again. Today was different though. Today she was to start what passed for a school in this town. There was even a few kids within a couple years of her age. After spending almost a year in the wilds surviving, she was nervous to meet some regular kids. Joel has even said he would come along to walk her to the school hall. 

Joel noticed how quiet Ellie was on the walk. He saw how she was looking at her feet, and was walked that half a step slower than usual.  
“What’s wrong?” He said.  
“Nothing” said Ellie, failing to hide her anxiousness. Joel just looked at her with the hard stare he knew would break her. “Well” she started, “I guess it’s a little weird that I’ll be back in a school with teenagers my age. I don’t even know where to start”.  
“Why don’t you just say your name and then maybe something about yourself?” Suggested Joel.  
The sarcasm flowed out of Ellie, “Great idea Joel. Hi, my names Ellie and I love comics and giraffes and immune to the virus, let’s be friends”.  
Joel just shook his head and looked forward, “it’ll be fine kiddo, you’ll see”.

As they approached the school hall the entire class was there to greet them, which totalled only 8 students and a middle aged teacher who looked genuinely happy to see Ellie.  
“Hi I’m Ellie, I’m a bit nervous to meet you all but I’m happy you are letting me be part of your class” said Ellie, trying to sound as confident as possible.  
“Welcome” said the teacher, “I’m Sandra, very glad to have a new face here and there is no need to be nervous, we don’t bite. Unless, you know, we turn and, um, try to, kinda, bite you”. Sandra’s face dropped and she covered her eyes with her hand to avert everyone’s gaze for a moment. “I’m sorry” she said, “I’m not very good at jokes”. Ellie smoked and found herself shocked when Joel let out a small chuckle. Sandra lifted her head again. “I’m glad someone finds it a bit funny at least. And you are?”.  
“Joel” he said, “Just moved here to settle down. I’m also Tommy’s brother and Ellie’s dad”.  
When the words hit Ellie’s ears her eyes instantly welled up. “My dad?” She said quietly, turned to look at him.  
Joel made a soft smile. “I know we ain’t blood or nothing but we got each other and I just love you baby girl. You take you time on deciding what we got between us, it’s up to you, but I’ll be your daddy, you just say the word”. Ellie burst into floods of tears and embraced Joel around the waist, hard.  
“Of course I love you too you fucking idiot. Of course you are my dad” Ellie sobbed into Joel’s stomach. She wiped her eyes and swallowed, trying to compose herself. “You dick, you made me cry in front of my new class” she said with a laugh. “I’m going to do damage control while I still can but will you pick me up after we’re down?”  
“Of course” Joel said, back to his stoic self.  
Ellie smiles before turning to her new class mates and walking towards the classroom. “Okay” she said, “who wants to hear about the time I killed a cannibalistic pedophile with his own machete?”. The class immediately followed her into the room to listen. Sandra looked stunned.  
Joel once again let out a small laugh.

“Kids eh?”.


End file.
